Connector with bus bar



March 4, 1969 E. KIRBY 3,431,545

CONNECTOR WITH BUS BAR Filed May 18, 1967 Sheet 1 of 2 1 39.1. E6 30 E6 26 Z g 28 I we 22%?! March 4, 1969 E. KIRBY 3,431,545

CONNECTOR WITH BUS BAR .;.ed1ay 1a. 1257 Sheet 3 of s Fig. .5. 38 E6 48 86,3

Edward K1759, & e.

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3,431,545 CONNECTOR WITH BUS BAR Edward Kirby, Los Angeles, Calif., assignor, by mesne assignments, to United-Carr Incorporated, Boston,

Mass, a corporation of Delaware Filed May 18, 1967, Ser. No. 639,333

US. Cl. 339258 Int. Cl. H01r 13/24 5 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Background the invention In the past, extremely complex methods were utilized to bus a series of edge connectors together. One method was to solder, wire wrap or weld a connection from connector to connector. Jack means could also be utilized, and in some cases extremely complex bus bar engagements were made.

This invention relates generally to contacts, and more specifically, relates to a unitary contact having a unique means of engagement with the housing and flexible arm engagement with a bus bar.

The contact consists of a tail, barbed for retention in a housing and having spaced right-angular portions which connect to spaced, parallel engaging arms; the arms extending away from the barb means upwardly toward a pair of spaced spring fingers connected to the tail at a point spaced from the right-angular portions. The fingers, at their free ends, are arced and have locking shoulders thereon; and join to the tail by a base portion which forms, with the tail, a T-shape.

An object of the present invention is to provide a contact having shoulder means engageable with the housing whereby the upper portion of the contact was in movable relation with the housing but was fixed in relation to certain predetermined portions of the housing.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a contact which had means of engaging a bus bar which comprises at least one pair of flexible arms and which engage the busbar through the contact fingers.

Description of the drawing FIG. 1 is a side elevation of the contact.

FIG. 2 is a front elevation of the contact shown in FIGURE 1.

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the contact shown in FIGURE 1.

FIG. 4 is a top plan view of the contact shown in FIGURE 1 engaged with a housing (broken off).

FIG. 5 is a section taken on line 55 of FIGURE 4.

FIG. 6 is a section of the housing showing the contact in full and engaged.

FIG. 7 is a section taken on line 77 of FIGURE 6.

In the drawing there is shown a one-piece contact 10, combining a wrap post tail 12, which has a series of barbs 14, extending from each of its side edges for a purpose to be described hereinafter. A connector portion 16 extends at right angles from each side edge of the wrap post tail 12, a predetermined distance from the barbs 14. A pair of spaced flexible arms 18 extend from the upper edge of each of the connector portions 16, in a direction away from the barbs 14. The spring arms 18 3,431,545 Patented Mar. 4, 1969 are arranged to provide two pairs of arms in spaced opposed relation to each other as shown in FIGURE 4. The free terminal ends of the spring arms 18 are flared outwardly to provide a lead in for a busbar 20. A base portion 22 forms a T with the tail 12, has a pair of spring fingers 24 extending from it and is spaced slightly above the upper edges of the connector portions 16. The spring fingers 24 are in spaced relation to each other and extend toward the same plane as the spring arms 18. Each of the spring fingers 24 is biased or canted inwardly toward the extended planes of the spring arms 18, in substantially parallel relation to each other and provided with a free locking end 26. Each of the free locking ends 26 is bent, at a bight portion 28, to provide an angle with the remaining portion of the spring fingers 24, and is extended in the opposite direction from that of the connector portion 16. The free locking end 26 is provided at its edge with an outside shoulder 30, located in close proximity to the bight portion 28, and is provided on its opposite edge with an inside shoulder 32, which is formed farther away from the bight portion 28 than the outside shoulder 30. The outside shoulder 30 is formed to extend beyond the side edge of the bight portion 28, for a purpose to be described hereinafter. The terminal edge of the locking end 26 is ohamfered back toward the bight portion 28, to provide a narrow almost pointed termination 27, as shown in FIGURES 3 and 4.

The housing 33, formed of an insulating material of an edge connector for example, comprises a pair of sidewalls 34, and 34a, formed in a spaced parallel relation to each other and extending upwardly in right-angle relationship to a base 36. An extension portion 38 extends from the sidewall 34, toward a card slot 40. The card slot 40 extends along the horizontal center line of the housing 33. The extension portion 38 includes a first contact locking barrier portion 42, which blocks part of the opening of a cavity 44 from the card slot 40, and is formed in right-angle relation to the remaining part of the extension portion 38, and in parallel relation to the sidewalls 34, 34a. A second contact locking barrier portion 46 extends from the same sidewall as the extension portion 38, in spaced parallel relation to part of the extension portion 38, separating the first rectangular cavity 44 from the bus-bar slot 48, which is formed down through each of the sidewalls 34, 3411, at right angles to the card slot 40, as shown in FIGURE 4. The first rectangular cavity 44 is thus bounded by a portion of the sidewall 34, the extension portion 38, with its first contact locking barrier portion 42, and the second contact locking barrier portion 46. The sidewalls 34, 34a are connected by a base 36. A cavity 52, somewhat rectangular in configuration, is formed by parallel wall extensions 56, which are in spaced parallel relation to each other and extend from the sidewall 34a into the card slot 40, as shown in FIGURES 4 and 5. Each of the wall extensions 56 extends on a plane to provide an upper surface which is on the same level as the sidewall 34a. The wall extension 56 runs into the card slot 40, at which point a lower level 62 is formed at the floor of the card slot 40. An aperture 58 is formed through the base 36, which has a tubular portion 60 extending therefrom whose core provides a continuation of the aperture 58.

To engage the contact 10 in the housing 33, the tail 12 is passed down through the aperture 58 and through the tubular portion 60, until the connector portions 16 lie in superimposed spaced relation to the base 36, with the barbs 14 engaged in the inner surface of the tubular portion 60, locking the contacts in place, and the spring arms 18 lie within the cavity 52, with their free ends below the plane of the lower level 62, of the wall extensions 56. Each of the locking ends 26 has its outside shoulder 30 butted against the first contact locking barrier portion 42, and a portion of its inside surface butted against the second contact locking barrier portion 46, thereby holding it in a position which allows the locking end 26, to move outwardly toward the sidewall 34, while preventing it from moving sideways into the bus-bar slot 48, or backward into the card slot 40. The canted portion of the spring fingers 24, and the bight portion 28, extend into the card slot 40.

The bus bar 20 is used as a method of electrically connecting a series of edge connectors together which are in spaced parallel relation to each other with their bus bar slots in alignment so that a single bus bar may be used to connect a number of edge connectors simultaneously. Once the bus bar 20 has been engaged in the bus bar slot and between the arms 18, as well as between the spaced spring fingers 24, a card (not shown) can be engaged within the card slot 40, and into physical and electrical engagement with the spring fingers 24.

With reference to the foregoing description it is to be understood that what has been disclosed herein represents several embodiments of the invention and is to be construed as illustrative rather than restrictive in nature and that the invention is best described by the following claims.

I claim:

1 An electrical contact for use with a housing comprising a tail, a pair of connector portions extending from the tail, at least one flexible arm extending from each connector portion and a base portion attached to the tail a predetermined distance from the connector portion, a pair of spring fingers extending from the base portion in spaced relation to each other, each of the spring fingers having a locking portion which has shoulders adapted to secure the locking portion to the housing.

2. An electrical contact for use with a housing as set forth in claim 1 wherein the shoulders of the locking portion comprise an outside shoulder and an inside shoulder.

3. An electrical contact for use with a housing as set forth in claim 2 wherein the tail has a barbed means of engaging the housing, the connector portions are in right angle relation to the tail and in spaced, parallel relation to each other and the flexible arms are in spaced parallel relation to each other.

4. An electrical contact for use with a housing as set forth in claim 3 wherein the base portion forms a T with the tail, and is in spaced relation with the connector portions, and each of the spring fingers has an arced portion in close proximity to the locking portion.

5. An electrical contact for use with a housing as set forth in claim 4 wherein the flexible arms extend from an upper side edge of the connector portion in a direction away from the barbed means.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,673,967 3/1954 Hedgecock 33922 3,192,498 6/1965 Ruehlernann 339-258 X 3,245,031 4/1966 Barney et al. 339258 3,323,099 5/1967 Spera 339-221 X RICHARD E. MOORE, Primary Examiner.

US. Cl. X.R. 339-17, 217 

